This invention relates to a method and system for providing voice mail notification services outside of the wireless network.
Voice mail systems, which are also known as voice messaging systems, have become an integral mode of communication in society, amongst businesses and individuals alike. If a call from a caller to a subscriber of a voice mail system is not answered or otherwise completed, the call is forwarded to the voice mail system wherein the caller may leave a voice message in the subscriber""s voice xe2x80x9cmailboxxe2x80x9d.
In the wireless network, subscribers are notified of new voice mail in their wireless voice mail box through message notifications issued through the short message service (SMS). The SMS utilizes predefined message notifications that are used to supply voice mail notification to the subscriber""s wireless handset. In the wireline network, the voice mail unit sends a message to the switch serving the subscriber via a Simplified Message Desk Interface (SMDI). Accordingly, when a caller calls a telephone number associated with a subscriber""s telephone and is unable to be connected to the subscriber, the caller may leave a voice message for the subscriber in the subscriber""s voice mailbox. At this time, the corresponding wireline or wireless service provider servicing the telephone provides an indication to the subscriber at the telephone that she has a voice message in her mailbox. This manner of notifying a subscriber that she has messages waiting in her voice mailbox may often prove to be time consuming and inefficient, especially when the subscriber is not near a phone or is otherwise unable to receive the voice mail messaging notification.
Subsequently, in order to retrieve messages left in the mailbox, the subscriber must dial an access number in order to retrieve messages associated with her handset or telephone.
Consequently, there exists a need for allowing a voice mail subscriber to be notified in a timely and efficient manner that a voice message has been left in her voice mailbox. The voice mail subscriber should also be able to be notified of the existence of voice mail messages in her mailbox when she is not near a telephone or is otherwise unable to receive the appropriate messaging. Such will allow the subscriber to retrieve voice mail messages associated with her telephone/handset in a timely and efficient manner.
It is a principal object according to the present invention to provide a system and method for notifying a voice mail subscriber of messages in her voice mailbox, in a timely and efficient manner.
It is another object according to the present invention to provide voice messaging services to enable a subscriber to retrieve voice mail messages associated with her telephone in a more timely and efficient manner.
It is a further object according to the present invention to provide a method and system for allowing a subscriber to be notified of and to retrieve voice mail messages left in her voice mailbox.
It is still another object according to the present invention to provide a means for through which a subscriber may be notified of messages in her voice mailbox which is easily accessible and/or mobile.
It is yet another object according to the present invention to extend wireless voice mail notification services to voice mail subscribers outside of the wireless network.
And it is still another object according to the present invention to provide voice mail notification services over the Internet.
In carrying out the above objects, features and advantages of the present invention, provided is a method for providing voice message notification to a voice mail subscriber over the Internet. The subscriber has a telephone serviced by a corresponding switch. The method includes receiving a voice message from a calling party for the subscriber, and further includes forwarding the voice message to a mailbox for storage therein. Also included is generating the message notification upon receipt of the voice message. The message notification is of the SMS type, which is currently is operable only within the wireless network. The method also includes transmitting the message notification to a messaging service node, and routing the message notification to the subscriber over a local Internet gateway to provide indication to the subscriber of the stored voice message.
In a preferred embodiment, the message notification is via Short Message Service (SMS). It also includes routing the SMS messaging notification to a server designated by the subscriber or designated by a service provider. In yet another preferred embodiment, the method of this invention includes routing the message notification to a server of a paging service designated by the subscriber or by a service provider. In such an embodiment, a paging signal including carrying the message notification is generated and routed to a pager of the subscriber. Further, the method may also include transmitting the message notification to the wireless switch if the subscriber is also a wireless subscriber and to the wireline switch if she is a wireline subscriber.
Moreover, in another embodiment according to the present invention, the method includes routing the message notification to a mail server of an e-mail service corresponding to or designated by the subscriber. Such embodiment may include generating an e-mail message carrying the message notification and routing it to a predetermined e-mail address corresponding to or designated by the subscriber.
Another embodiment of a method according to the present invention is for use in a communication network having at least one switch which serves a subscriber having a telephone. This method of routing a voicemail message notification over the Internet to the subscriber includes providing an Internet gateway which is in communication with the communication network. Also included is to provide a voice response unit for receiving voice mail messages and an adjunct processor which is in communication with the Internet gateway. The method further includes providing a database in communication with the adjunct processor, where the database includes a server identifier or address designated by or corresponding to the subscriber. Another method step includes detecting at the adjunct processor an SMS message notification generated and transmitted by the voice response unit, indicating that the subscriber""s voice mailbox has a message therein. Further included is determining at the adjunct processor a destination server address for the subscriber. Such server address may be predetermined or may be one of the multiple which are available in response to various conditions. The message notification is then routed to a local Internet gateway. Further included is transmitting from the adjunct processor to the local Internet gateway the determined destination server for the subscriber. Lastly the message notification is routed to the determined destination server. The server performs a query or look-up to a database to determine a corresponding subscriber e-mail address and routes the message notification to the determined e-mail address. In another embodiment, the determined destination server is an e-mail service server wherein an e-mail message is generated which includes the message notification to a corresponding e-mail address associated with or designated by the subscriber.
As discussed, preferred embodiments of this method may include translating the message notification into a protocol used by the Internet gateway in order to be accepted and/or delivered thereby. In another embodiment, the designated destination server is a paging service server. Thus, a paging signal is generated which includes the message notification and routed to a corresponding pager associated with the subscriber.
Yet, another method according to the present invention is disclosed for use in a communications network which has an adjunct messaging processor serving a messaging device, which may be an alphanumeric pager, a computer terminal, etc. The method includes routing a voice mail message notification over the Internet as part of a messaging signal. Such routing includes routing the message notification from a voice response unit to the messaging processor over the Internet. This routing also includes providing a database in communication with the messaging processor, wherein the database has a profile for each voice mail subscriber, so that the profile includes a destination server. It also includes generating a messaging signal for receipt by the messaging device, and the messaging signal includes the SMS voice mail message notification. As with the other embodiments, the destination may be a paging service server which is alerted to generate a paging signal to a pager of the subscriber. It may also be an e-mail service server or mail server for generating an e-mail signal to a pager of the subscriber.
In accordance with the teachings of the present invention, also provided herein is a system for providing voice messaging notification to a subscriber. The system has a switch which supplies telecommunication services to the subscriber. Also included is a voice response unit which is coupled to the switch and is operative to receive an uncompleted call from a calling party to the telephone associated with the subscriber, forward the call to a voice response unit and receive a voice mail message in a subscriber mailbox for storage therein, and transmit a message notification upon receipt of the voice message at the mailbox to provide an indication over the Internet to the subscriber of the stored voice message. This message is received by the subscriber at a message receiving device. In a preferred embodiment, the voice response unit, in transmitting the message notification, operates to transmit an SMS message notification to a service or processing node.
Another system embodiment according to the present invention is for use in a communication network for routing a wireless voice mail message notification to a subscriber. The system includes an Internet gateway in communication with the communication network. Also included is a database which has a list of subscriber e-mail addresses corresponding to each subscriber""s voice mailbox. An adjunct processor is provided in communication with the voice response unit and the Internet gateway. The adjunct processor is operative to determine a destination server/e-mail address for the subscriber, instruct the SMS node to route the voicemail message notification to a local Internet gateway, and transmit to the Internet gateway the determined e-mail address for the subscriber.
These and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention are more readily apparent from the following detailed description of the best modes for carrying out the invention when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like reference numerals correspond to like components.